Midlands endorses Kasukuwere ouster

Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
Zanu-PF Midlands Province has joined Mashonaland Central, Masvingo and Bulawayo provinces in the call for the sacking of national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.

The province accused Cde Kasukuwere of, among other issues, fanning factionalism and plotting to topple President Mugabe by creating parallel structures.

Speaking after a Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Gweru yesterday, provincial spokesperson Cde Cornelius Mpereri, said the province had resolved that the national disciplinary committee relieves Cde Kasukuwere of his duties immediately before the Politburo deliberates on his fate.

Cde Mpereri said it was a general sentiment among party members in the province that Cde Kasukuwere be relieved of his duties as a matter of urgency.

The motion was moved by Retired Major Max Zvidzai from Chirumhanzu and was unanimously seconded.

Cde Mpereri said Cde Kasukuwere was fanning divisions in the party and suspending party members who refused tow his line.

“On our agenda we discussed a report back on the Central Committee meeting held in Harare during which a lot of issues arose,” he said. There are emerging parallel structures in our province.

“We had an issue of National PC, Cde Kasukuwere. It has been proven that the PC is involved in the province in the running of parallel structures. There are people that are not in the party structures some of whom have been suspended that he is giving instructions to create parallel structures.”

During the PCC meeting, members of the party accused Cde Kasukuwere of being responsible for the shunning of the solidarity rally held for President Mugabe following the expiry of his tenure as AU Chairperson, which subsequently led to the suspension of the erstwhile chairperson Cde Kizito Chivamba.

The members said Cde Kasukuwere did not communicate the message on transport ferrying people to the rally through party structures, which in turn resulted in the low turnout of people.

Cde Mpereri said the province had lost confidence in Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Cde Jason Machaya, whom they accused of grossly abusing his office.

“We also discussed Midlands Minister for Provincial Affairs, Cde Jason Machaya, whom we are accusing of grossly abusing his office to pursue a factional agenda,” he said. “He is doing so in the acquisition of land. As a province, we have lost confidence in Cde Machaya.”

Said Cde Mpereri: “One of the people who were implicated for distabilising the province is Gweru businesswoman Mrs Smelly Dube. We have discovered that she is financing parallel structures throughout the province.

“She is accused of acquiring state land in an unclear way and unjustly enriching herself. She is also funding (Dr Joice) Mujuru’s activities, which are proven by the fact that most of the people she was having in her company are active in Mujuru’s party.

“The province has resolved that Smelly Dube should be investigated and prosecuted if need be.”

Minister Machaya said his hands were clean, urging all members of the party in the province to approach him for engagement if they had issues with him.